In order to take the power generated out at sea to the homes and industry where it will be used, three cable circuits will be installed, firstly, below the sea bed from the offshore windfarm to the Aberdeenshire coast, and then underground, from the coastline between Banff and Whitehills to a new substation south of New Deer.

Works have been undertaken to improve local roads around the substation site and along the cable route.

The onshore works can be broadly divided into three different sections, and leaflets have been produced which provide information about the activities undertaken at each site:

– Cable landfall

The cable circuits will come ashore on the coast between Banff and Whitehills. They will be installed below ground, so after works are complete, there will be no obvious signs of their presence.

The cable will follow a 33km route which has been selected to optimise installation with minimal environmental impact. After re-instatement, the only visual evidence of the infrastructure will be cable identification signage and occasional underground access covers.

A new electricity substation will be constructed south of New Deer to enable the electricity generated offshore to be routed to the existing high voltage overhead transmission line so it can be conveyed to homes and industry.

Current Works

In winter 2018/19 on shore works commenced with worksites on the cable route and the substation being fenced for site identification and safety. The preliminary works included the establishment of site compounds for the storage of equipment, welfare of staff, etc.

Substation Site

In Spring 2019 works are well underway to establish the substation site. This is a major engineering project in itself, commencing with enabling works such as establishing access from the public road network, stripping topsoil and associated heavy earthworks such as building landscaping bunds and undertaking appropriate drainage arrangements. Temporary storage compounds have been established for vehicles and equipment and a site office, with welfare provision for staff has been established.

Substation site in March 2019

In spring 2019, works will commence to prepare the ground for cable installation. At specific sites on the route, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) works will be started.